Acetylene-gas generator.



C. K. SDBER & F. E. PORTER. ACETYLENE EAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Aug. 8. 1900.)

l No. 667,80I. Patented Feb. l2, |90I.

(No Medel.)

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l E I i: E 1 E 2 l 254i 1 l i; `2 l I il.. 1-5... L. Z9 'I 1:1;1' l" l*Z9 lllmmm' WMM Unire@ STATES Parleur COLEMAN K. SOBER AND FREDRICK E.PORTER, OF LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AC ETY LEN E-GAS G EN ERATO R.

srncrrrcA'rIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,801', datedFebruary 12', 190i.

Application filed August 8, 1900. Serial No. 26,281. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it' may concern:

Be it known that We, COLEMAN K. SOBER and FREDRIOK E. PORTER, citizensof the United States, residing at Lewisburg, in the county of Union andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Gas-Generating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for generatingacetylene gas.

The object of the invention is to produce a generator of acetylene gaswhich shall be continuous in its operation and cheap and simple inconstruction. To this end we provide a series of generating-tanks whichreceive water from a common source and deliver their gas to a commonholder, the said generatingtanks being adapted to be independentlycleaned and rechargedthat is, each tank may be cleaned and rechargedwithout stopping the operating of the other tanks.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partlyin section, of a portion of the water and gas main. Fig. 4 is asectional View, on an enlarged scale, of one of the generators. Fig. 5is a detail View.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a gas holder of ordinaryconstruction, into which gas is charged by the delivery-pipe 2 of thegenerating apparatus. This apparatus consists of any suitable number ofgenerators G, which are all connected with the aforesaid gas-deliverypipe 2 and with a waterreservoir R by a main 3. Each generator Gcomprises a bucket 4, in which the carbid 5 is placed, a tank 6, inwhich thebucket is centrally located, and a bell 7, the cylindrical wallof which is located between the bucket and tank. The space 8 between thebell and tank is preferably about three or four times as great as thespace 9 between the bucket and bell. The bucket is provided with feet10, which rest upon and preferably interlock with the bottom of the tankby being caused to extend beneath ears 10', secured to the tank, and thebell 7 is provided with fastening devices 11, which engage lugs 12 onthe tank, thus connecting the bell and tank to reduce the dead-space inthe bell above the mouth of the pipe. The pipe 13 is connected to abranch 15 of the main 3 by a detachable joint.

The main 3 is preferably formed of a suitable number of sections ofpipe, which are connected together by T-couplings 18, to which theaforesaid branch pipes 15 are connected, there being preferably twoparallel lines of such pipe-sections, which are joined at their ends bysuitable cross-pipes. The main 3 is also connected with suitable legs orstandards 19, and thus forms the upper end of a supporting-frame bywhich the generators G are carried. By this construction the support forthe generators can be readily adapted to receive any desired number ofgenerators.

The Water-reservoir R is preferably supported on the gas-holder 1 and isconnected with the main 3 by suitable pipes, including a dip or U-shapedduct 20. As shown, a pipe 31 connects the reservoir R with the U -shapedduct 20, said pipe 31 extending at intermediate points in its lengththrough the side 0r wall of the tank 1 of the gas-holder into the spacebetween said tank and the verticallymovable bell therein. A valve 21,provided with a suitable handle, is arranged in the main 3 at one sideof its connection with the Water-pipe 20, and in said main on the otherside of said connection with the water-pipe is fitted a plug 22, so thatwater can only flow through said pipe and to the generators in thedirection of the valve 21. The water-supply pipe 20 is provided with anupwardly-extending vent-tube 23.

The gas-delivery pipe 2 is connected with main 3 at a point between theplug 22 therein and the last of the series of generators, and

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said delivery-pipe is preferably made in the form shown in thedrawings-that is, it extends first upwardly and then downwardly to enterthe gas-holder near the lower end, the discharge end of said pipeextending upwardly a suitable distance within the holder. Within thegas-holder 1 is also arranged a branch 24 of the gas-distributing pipe,by which the gas is conducted to the place where it is to be used.. Onebranch of a gas blow- O or vent pipe 25 is arranged within thegas-holder, the other branch 26 of said pipe extending out and to asuitable elevation and distance from the apparatus. Each of said pipes2, 24, and 25 is provided with a driptube 30, that exten ds into a tank27, arranged at the lower end of the gas-holder. A sulicient quantity ofwater is maintained in said tank 27 to seal the lower ends of saiddriptubes, and by means of such tubes any particles of water that may becarried from the generators with the gas will be withdrawn.

For automatically governing the flow of waterrto the main 3 andgenerators G we arrange a valve 32 in the pipe 31 within the tank 1, bywhich water from the 'reservoir R is supplied to the pipe 20, andconnectsaid valve with the movable bell of the gas-holder, so that as said bellrises the valve will be gradually closed, and as gas is withdrawn fromthe holder and the bell thereof descends the valve will be opened andwater admitted to the main 3 and generator G. Any suitable form of valvemay be employed; but at present we prefer to use one similar to thatillustrated and described in Patent No. 623,425 of F. E. Porter. Asshown in Fig. 5, the stem of the valve 32 is provided with a transverseaperture near its upper end, through which extends the wedge-shaped endof a thrust-rod 33. This is mounted in a suitable guide or holder andadjusted longitudinally by the vertical movements ot' the bell of thegasholder. As shown, an inclined rod 34 is connected to and movesvertically with the bell l of the gas-holder, its upper end beingadjustably connected to said holder bya threaded rod or nut. As the bellof the gas-holder is raised by the pressure of gas therein thethrust-rod 33 will be withdrawn more or less from the passage in thevalve-stem and the valve will close by gravity. As the supply of gaswithin the holder is reduced and the bell thereof descends thethrust-rod will be moved toward the valve-stem, thereby raising thevalve from its seat and permitting water to flow from the reservoir Rinto the main 3 through the pipe 20.

A guide-rod 28 is provided for the movable bell of the gas-holder.

The operation is as follows: The carbidbuckets 4 of the generators G canbe detached by simply unlocking the couplings 11 12. In starting themachine the buckets are all removed and suitably lled with carbid. Theyare then replaced in the generators, as shown in the drawings, and thespaces S 9 are filled with water, the water being poured into the tanks6 until the spaces 8 are two-thirds full. The valve 21 is now opened toadmit water to the main 3 beyond said valve and to the pipe 13 of theiirst of the series of generators. As soon as the water reaches thecarbid gas is generated, which flows out through the same pipe 13 bywhich the Water enters and through the main 3 to the pipe 2, by which itlis conducted to the gas-holder 1. WVhen the carbid in the firstgenerator is spent, the water will rise therein until it reaches themouth of pipe 13, whereupon no more water will enter that branch; butwater entering the main will flow on to the next of the series ofgenerators. No overfiow from the generator-tanks can therefore occur andthe generators are successively brought into action.

By making the space 9 considerably smaller than the space 8 the level ofthe water may be forced down in 9 without proportionately raising thewater in 8. Ve are thus enabled to create considerable hydrostaticpressure in the generators, sufcient to force the gas into the tank andprevent leak'age from the generators. -The dip in the water-supply pipe20 prevents any gas from passing to the waterreservoir.

It will be seen that the liquid seal between the bucket 4 and tank 6etectually prevents the admission of the atmosphere to the contents ofthe bucket or the escape of gas from such bucket. Said seal may beformed by oil, glycerin, or any other suitable liquid, as well as bywater, as above described.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with awater-supply and gas-delivery main, of a generator-tank, a carbidbucketwithin the tank, a bell having its vertical wall extending between saidbucket and tank, a pipe leading from the main into said bell, acone-shaped brace, 14, surrounding the pipe Within the bell andpermanently connecting said parts together, and means secured to thebell for engaging with the tank and supporting it and the carbid-buckettherefrom, substantially as described.

2. Inapparatus of the class described, the combination of a water-supplyand gas-delivery pipe, a generator-tank adapted to hold water, acarbid-bucket arranged within the tank and supported by feet, 10,adapted to be detachably engaged with stops, 10", within the tank, toprevent vertical movement of the bucket therein, a bell extending overthe bucket and between the side walls of the bucket and tank, said "bellhaving at its upper end projections, 11, adapted to extend beneath lugs,12, at the upper edge of the tank, and a pipe permanently connected tothe bell and adapted to be detachably connected with the main,substantially as described.

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3. In apparatus of the eiass described, the flow of water from thereservoir to said geneornbination of a gas holder, a horizontalerator-support.

frame composed of a series of tubular see- In testimony whereof we axour signations connected together by T-eoup1ings, a tures in presence oftwo witnesses.

5 generator connected with the depending branch of each of saidcouplings, a water-reservoir, pipes or duets connecting said frame withthe water-reservoir and the gasho1der, Witnesses:

a plug in said frame between the water and WM. R. FOLLMER, lo gasconnections, and means for regulating the l W. J. WILKINSON.

